Abstract
Background: Cognitive complaints are frequent after COVID-19 but their clinical determinants are poorly understood. This study aimed to explore the associations of objective cognitive performances and psychological distress with cognitive complaints in COVID-19 survivors.Materials and Methods: Patients previously hospitalized for COVID-19 in a university hospital during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in France were followed-up at 1 month after their admission. Cognitive complaints were self-reported and standardized instruments were used to assess neuropsychological status (Digit Symbol Substitution Test, Semantic Verbal Fluency Test, Mini Mental Status Examination) and psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS). Multivariable analyses were adjusted for age, sex, admission in intensive care unit (ICU) and need for oxygen and C-reactive protein.Results: One hundred patients (34% women, median age: 60 years [interquartile range: 49–72)] completed the neuropsychological assessment at follow-up. In multivariable analyses, cognitive complaints at 1-month were associated with greater HADS score (OR for one interquartile range: OR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.08–3.57) and older age (OR: 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01–1.09) and, negatively, with admission in ICU (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.05–0.90). In contrast, none of the objective neuropsychological test scores was significantly associated with cognitive complaints. Exploratory analysis showed that cognitive complaints were associated with both anxiety and depressive symptoms.Discussion: These preliminary results suggest that cognitive complaints at 1 month after a hospitalization for COVID-19 are associated with psychological distress, independently of objective neuropsychological status. Anxiety and depression symptoms should be systematically screened in patients presenting with cognitive complaints after a severe COVID-19 episode.
Highlights
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) has provoked an unprecedented health and social crisis around the world [1]
Few studies simultaneously assessed anxiety and depressive symptoms and neurocognitive functioning with both subjective and objective measures among COVID 19 survivors. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to explore the associations between persistent cognitive complaints, objective cognitive performances and symptoms of anxiety and depression
Odds ratios for Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) are given for an increment of one interquartile range
Summary
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) has provoked an unprecedented health and social crisis around the world [1] This virus causes a respiratory illness named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with classical respiratory symptoms, and potential long-term pulmonary, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric complications [2]. A previous study has shown that 59% of patients had neurocognitive impairment in at least one function, 38% in immediate verbal memory and learning, 12% in delayed verbal memory, 35% in verbal fluency, and 6% in working memory [15] Beside these objective symptoms, subjective cognitive complaints seem to be among the most frequent symptoms reported by patients after virus clearance [16]. This study aimed to explore the associations of objective cognitive performances and psychological distress with cognitive complaints in COVID-19 survivors
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